Prep soccer
sidelines kind of looking at the other team’s formation, where the space is and just trying to give my best tips at halftime.”
The time Muniz spent away from the action only helped to bolster her soccer IQ, and she’s illuminated as much through her stat sheet. In 15 regular-season games this spring, during which the Mustangs have boasted a 12-3 record, Muniz has scored 28 goals while dishing out a teamhigh 16 assists.
Only sophomore forward Kanoe Bihag has outmatched her on the scoring drive with 31 goals.
“I feel like I was just kind of ready to jump back in because I learned a lot in my year off, and I think that it reflected in my play,” Muniz said. “In my first club weekend, I was able to score. I knew where I wanted to get the ball and pick up the ball and just the runs I could make. I think it added a lot to my game.
“I feel like this year, I’ve gotten a lot more assists and I know better how to set up my teammates. I’ve also moved into more of an attacking (midfielder), kind
of, for high school this season.”
The Mustangs will need Muniz, Bihag and every weapon they have at their disposal when they begin the postseason on Friday. After picking up the No. 4 seed for the 2A playoffs, they’ll host No. 13 Telluride for the first round, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday.
The Miners enter the contest with a 7-7 record, but that comes with an asterisk. They’ve cut their teeth all season against top competition, including No. 2 Denver Christian, No. 9 Crested Butte, 3A’s No. 6 Delta, 4A’s No. 9 Durango, and so on.
Head coach John Welsch hopes that his ladies will lean on their previous two title-winning experiences to lead them toward victory, but knows Friday’s matchup won’t be an easy opening task.
“I think all the games that we’re supposed to win, we’re winning, some of them fairly easy,” he said. “There are some games that have been difficult. I would say, for sure, Friday’s game against Telluride — I watched some game film (Tuesday) morning, and they’re good. They were in the state finals two years ago. They’ll be tough competition.”
Small but mighty
As the postseason begins to get underway this week — weather willing — three local small schools outside of Dawson will be vying to extend their own seasons as much as possible.
No squad has been nearly as dominant as 3A’s topseeded Jefferson Academy.
The Jaguars have been led by an all-star roster that includes junior Gianna Gagliano (26 goals), senior Kate Runyon (19 goals), senior Allie Jo Kirkpatrick (13 goals, 28 assists) and a lethal defense that has only allowed 10 goals all season long.
They boast a 13-2 record and won the ever-formidable 3A/2A Metro League, which also houses No. 4 Prospect Ridge Academy, No. 5 Colorado Academy, No. 7 Kent Denver, No. 10 Stargate School, No. 11 Eagle Ridge Academy, No. 15 Peak to Peak, No. 16 St. Mary’s Academy and No. 31 Academy. In fact, all but two teams in the 11-squad league made the 3A playoffs.
JA will enter the first round against No. 32 Regis Groff, which comes in with a 6-7-2 record. That game is set to be played at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Jefferson Academy.
No. 4 Prospect Ridge will also get in on the hosting action,
as the Miners have enjoyed a dominant, 12-3 season in their own right. Head coach Rod Muir intentionally packed their regular-season schedule to include bigger teams like Mullen and Green Mountain, who handed them two of those three setbacks.
Senior Kateri Trujillo has led PRA through the trenches with 20 goals and 12 assists, but keepers Ava Stockard and Marina Cassano have tag-teamed inside the goal box for a nearly impenetrable effort. They’ve collectively given up just 13 goals while making 68 saves.
PRA will host No. 29 Arrupe Jesuit (9-5-1) at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
Meanwhile, No. 15 Peak to Peak will get the chance to test its grit when No. 18 Englewood comes to town for a 6 p.m. kickoff on Thursday. The Pumas enter the contest with a 6-6-2 record compared to the 11-3-1 mark that Pirates boast, and that higher seed was no doubt thanks to the Metro League’s reputation.
Only time will tell how each of the Broomfield and Lafayette 2A and 3A teams will fare by week’s end, if Mother Nature even allows the games to happen. One thing, however, is certain: fierce girls soccer runs through the Boulder Valley.